Saturday, May 21, 2016

Pidari Chellandiamman Temple, Oruvandhur, Namakkal

Pidari Chellandiamman Temple, Oruvandhur, Namakkal
Sri Pidari Chellandiamman Temple is located at a distance 12 kms from Namakkal in Tamilnadu. The presiding deity is a swayambumurthy. Salt sand is offered as sacred ashes to the devotees.

Legends
About a thousand years back, the soil of this region was salty. While men were digging the salt soil, the crowbar of one stopped with a sound with blood coming out. On checking, they found a beautiful Goddess Idol. People in their ecstasy, erected a temporary green tent and began worshipping. The Goddess stayed there permanently with the name Pidari Chellandiamman. In due course, with the efforts of the peopled backed by the grace of the Goddess, the present temple came into being.
The Temple
The Goddess here graces as Chellandiamman. There are shrines for Malayala Karupannasamy, Pattavan, Madurai Veeran, Sadaichi Amman, Pechiamman and Sapthakannis (seven maidens) in the prakara – the ring way around the main shrine known as corridors.
People here believe that Goddess Chellandiamman is the combined form of Lord Shiva and Shakti. The Goddess is facing north towards Mohanur and Namakkal. It is also the belief of the people here that the development of this region is only due to this aspect of the Goddess.
A few years back, while digging the land for temple renovation work, a stone was found that was carved with a horse, tree and a Linga and Parvathi worshipping the Linga. Though the bull is the vehicle of Lord Shiva, this showed a horse as His vehicle. As the sculpture shows Parvathi worshipping the Lord, women worship this stone to get their desires realized, those facing obstacles in their marriage proposals in particular.
Temple Opening Time
The temple is opened from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Festivals
15 day Masi Magam (February-March) festival including a car festival and the Vel festival in Margazhi (December-January) are grandly celebrated in the temple. During the Vel festival all the Puja articles are taken to all the Ettupatti villages and return to the temple. 1008 milk pot abishek festival is conducted on the last Friday of Adi month (July-August. Special Pujas are performed on New Moon and Full Moon days each month.
Prayers
Devotees seek child boon, removal of obstacles in marriage talks and to achieve excellence in education. Abishek are performed for the Goddess with Vastras –clothing.
Contact
Sri Pidari Chellandiamman Temple,
Oruvandhur – 637 015, Namakkal
Connectivity
Oruvandhur is 12 km from Namakkal on the Mohanur route. It is well connected to Namakkal by Buses. Nearest Railway Station is located at Namakkal & Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.